Safety marker for traffic lanes



Dec. 20, 1938. E. B. MILLER SAFETY MARKER FOR TRAFFIC LANES Filed April 14, 1936 m m A v L y @n M 4 y H wfi I 6 WM- 2 .b w .EE \\\& M 1 a wZ ////A// fi w w 1% a v as n If n z m m. fi 1 T 1 2 d I .0. m f, MW.

ATTORNEY. I

Patented Dec. 20, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

My invention relates to an improvement in safety markers for traflic lanes. Many accidents have occurred as a result of people driving too close to, or oil" of, the edge of the roadway and running into culverts, bridge abutments, and the like; also accidents have occurred as a result of people driving off the edge of the roadway and running into piles of sand or rock or other-material that may have been put along the side of the road for constructions or road repair purposes. Therefore it is the object of my invention to provide a signal that will serve as a warning to the driver of a vehicle when he is out of the regular line of trafiic and advising that he is in danger; and he will therefore return to the regular safe line of travel.

Now referring to the drawing in which the same numerals of reference refer to the same parts throughout the several figures; Fig. 1 is a top view of a roadway in which there is a bridge having abutments and showing how my improved safety markers for trafiic lanes are employed. Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side view of my safety marker, parts of which have been broken away for convenience of illustration. Fig. 4 is a side view of my safety marker showing it in a tilted position. Fig. 5 is a sectional View as seen from the line V-V in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the bottom of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of the upper end of the signal which is shown, partly in section, and With parts broken away for convenience of illustration. Fig. 8 is a cross section as seen from the line VIII-VIII in Fig. 7

In the drawing is shown a roadway l and a bridge across a stream |2, the bridge having abutments l3, at M is a vehicle traveling in the path of the dotted lines l which if the vehicle continues in its path, it would strike the abutment l3 and cause an accident. At H5 is shown the position of my safety markers, one of which the vehicle M has struck and the impact therefrom acts as a warning to the driver of the vehicle, therefore he turns back to the regular line of travel as indicated by the dotted lines |5a and the accident is averted.

My safety marker comprises a base plate l8 having a series of holes I9 therethrough, through which bolts, or screws 20 or the like may be inserted as a means of fastening the signal to a foundation of concrete 2| or to any other material such as the top of a wood piling driven into the ground, or long pins may be driven in the ground as a substitute for the screws 20 to hold the signal on the ground as a temporary warning where the signal would be used for temporary purposes as above mentioned.

Integral with the plate I8 and at the central portion thereof is an upwardly extending portion 22 through which is a hole 23 that flares outwardly at the top portion there as indicated at 23a. At 24 is a countersunk portion in the bottom of the plate l8 and in which is seated a pin 25 around which is looped one end of a helical spring 26, the opposite end of said spring 26 being looped over a hook element 21, the upper end of which is passed through a washer 28 and is threaded into a nut 29. The washer 28 rests on the upper end of a hollow conical shaped element 30, the lower end of which rests on the base plate l8 and loosely receives, or houses, the upwardly projecting portion 22 of the base plate Ill. The nut 29 rests on the washer 28, therefore the spring 26 is tensioned between the base plate l8 and the upper end of the element 30 and functions to yieldably hold the element 30 in a vertical position on the base plate l8.

At 3| is a tubular element, that is made preferably of some yieldable material such as a piece of stiff fabric and rubber hose. The tube 3| is slipped over the upper end of the conical element 30 and rigidly clamped thereto by means of a clamp element 32. At 33 is a series of glass reflector buttons, each button having a flange 34. The buttons are set in holes 35 in the tubular element 3| with the flanges 34 resting against the inner wall of the tubular element 3|. At 36 is a second tubular element adapted to fit snugly within the first tubular element 3| and press against the backs of the reflector elements 32 so as to hold them in place in the holes 35. Integrally formed on the upper end of the tubular element 36 is a cap like portion 31 having a flange 38 extending outwardly around the tubular element 36 and fitting over the end of the tubular element 3|, said cap and flange forming a closure for the upper end of the tubular element 3|.

The signal as I have described it provides a device having a vertically standing shaft that is provided with reflector elements that will reflect light from motor vehicle light so that the signals are visible to a driver at night. It is also obvious, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, that if a vehicle should strike the signal it will lay over and the vehicle may-pass on, after which, by the action of the spring 26 the signal will straighten up and stand in its normal vertical position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Such modifications of my invention may be employer as lie within the scope of the appended mounting element being positioned over and housing the flange on said base plate, and also housing a spring, one end of said spring being supported from the upper end of said mounting element, the other end of said spring being attached to a retaining element positioned in said annular recess so as to retain the said mounting element in an erect position under sprng tension on said base element, said flexible tubular element being rigidly attached to the upper end of said mounting l0 therefor.

EDWIN B. MILLER. 

